5 Areas in Which You Can Be a Better Cat Owner
If, like me, you didn’t manage to finish writing all of your New Year’s resolutions, how about pledging to be a better cat owner? I’ve rounded up advice from Catster and the Catster Cat Blogs to make it easy for you!
HEALTH
- Know the major health concerns for cats. If you know what symptoms to look for, you can get your cat to the vet before the health problem requires an expensive emergency visit.
Select a good vet, if you don’t have one already. I’ve heard stories from cat owners who aren’t entirely comfortable with their vets, but they feel “funny” about switching. Your cat deserves high quality care, and you should always feel that your vet is providing it. If you don’t — even if you can’t quite put your finger on the reason — switch vets. Read some tips on how to select a vet. - Watch health trends and discuss your cat’s health with others. So, your cat has been diagnosed with a health problem. You’ve had a great consultation with your vet, but what do you do after you bring Fluffy home? You might find it helpful to talk to cat owners who are dealing with the same health issues that you are. Sometimes you just need comfort and support, sometimes you need tips on administering care — whatever you need, you’ll probably find it here.
- Follow the Catster Vet Blog for tips and advice from Dr. Barchas.
LOVE
- Keep your cat entertained and amused. If your cat isn’t responding to the stuffed mouse, discover other toys and games that might engage her.
- Groom your cat regularly. A grooming a day keeps the hair balls — and vet visits — away. It’s the purrfect opportunity to bond with your cat, and to check for fleas, ticks, lumps and tender spots.
- Take photos of your cats so that you can share them on Catster. And, it’s never to early to take photos for the 2009 World’s Coolest Cat Contest!
EXERCISE
- Make sure that your cat gets regular exercise. The good news is that for cats, exercise is a whole lot like play!
- Find out more about your breed so that you can establish an exercise routine appropriate to that breed’s needs.
DIET
- Know how to choose a diet for your cat, and modify it if necessary. If you’re lucky enough to have more than one cat, they could each have different dietary needs.
- Educate yourself: See what other cats like yours are eating.
- Keep your cat away from poisonous foods. Your dinner table may host foods that will make your cat sick … or worse.
RESCUE OR ADOPT A PET
- If you don’t have cat, adopting one is the way to go. Especially now: with the increase in layoffs and foreclosures, more cats than ever before are being abandoned at local shelters. Better yet, adopt two! They’ll keep each other company and are less likely to engage in destructive boredom-induced behaviors.
- Find out where your nearest shelter is located. You’re probably unaware of some of the shelters and rescue organizations near you. Check ‘em out!
- Familiarize yourself with the adoption process. It’s easier than you think, but you should know what you’re getting into before you adopt.
- Find out more about fostering a kitty. Not ready to make a long-term commitment to a new cat? Fostering is a win-win. Shelters are bursting at the seams, and foster parents socialize and care for cats that might otherwise have to be euthanized.
You would THINK that I get enough exercise/play time but I totally don’t!!! I’m totally neglected, they won’t play with me when I want to !!
Great advice indeed! I especially think that understanding your cat’s breed or special needs is very important. Some people would hate an Oriental due to our constant conversations, need for affection, and undying devotion to play.
Education is the best thing indeed!
I think our humans are pretty good cat owners. Except for not serving us enough chicken and ham, a’course. And being boring toys themselves. But the cat dancer is nice. And our living room with our beds and cat tower that we let them share too. We’ll tell them to read her anyways. Humans can always be improved!
Wonderful and important advice!!!!!
Hello Skeezy, That was very helpful advice in the article. At least we don’t have to worry about the wrong people foods being eaten by our cat. Bosco will not touch human foods and he does get groomed daily. He looks forward to that and we’ll bet a lot of other cats feel the same way. Your pal, Bosco.
I think my parents have become better pet owners because of Catster and Dogster. There are so many cats and dogs that can help with advice on so many topics, and the forums are great too. And Dr. Barchas is pretty cool even though I think he made his name up to get hired by Dogster – MOL! Catster and Dogster rock!
Catster has helped our mommy mews become a much better cat owner. She always tried hard but now seems to always be coming up with new ways to make us happy!
I have 40+ cats, mostly fosters forgotten by shelters or unadoptable due to age or “ugliness” ( i think they ALL are special and beautiful!). While quite a handful at times, Icannot imagine a day without my friends. I play constantly with them, and have some special cats which simply make me roar with laughter. I have a HUGE queen bed with little room for me but can hold 23 cats at bedtime!! Some say we’re crazy, but living & loving these magnificent creatures makes me realize why the Egyptians worshipped them.
that’s some very good advice!!
My mommy learned which plants are poisonous so she doesn’t have them anymore. And she gives me Catgrass which I really love
I don’t like people food and my fav treat is Fancy Feast
My only hope right now is to just be able to keep feeding my outside ‘Free Roaming’ (Feral) cats. I was just terminated from my job because they have no work and I was one of the last ones hired. Been like this for the past 2 years. Unemployment is crap and DSS doesn’t help with animals. A couple should be checked and all dewormed at least but,I’ll do my best to keep them going as well as my 7 inside cats. 4 rescues and 3 daughters to the one rescue 7 years ago. All my ‘kids’ and we’ll do our best to get by. Any ideas?
I am a 1 1/2 year od white persianfemale cat and whenever i get into “SEASON(HEAT)” i affectionately rub against my owner and raise my tail enjoying the human touch.When my owner gats a “Male Persian cat” for mating i sulk and avoid the cat touching me being totally repulsive resulting in total frustration of my suitor as well as my owner in being a failure in getting me a husband and suitably mated.
Whats the reason for my strange affection towards humans but repulsive towards my own kind, cats?
Is this a common malady with all pampered homegrown cats?
I also disturb my owner when in heat by “Meowing” continuously, hence the poor fellow is totally confused by my strange behaviour.
Please help,Cat Psychiatrist?
I have a female tabby who is having some problems right now. She has allergies so diets were changed and meds were given and now her ph is up and she has struvite crystals.So once again she’s on a different food.
Anyone have the same dilema? Help:( Her rash is still there and I know she’s been itching it. I decided to take her cone off because she’s had to wear it enough. (I know it’s probably allin my head about her hating the cone) I’m tired of experimenting someone please help!
I am an excellant cat mommy, My babies have all the comforts of a spa here and they have there uncle for advice and they have there mommy for love and are spoiled beyond belief. They have a fab vet and they are always loved.
Hi, I am a cat mommy to 3 great cats. I wanted to give a little advice to Rudolph, get your cat spayed and she will not be uncomfortable or frustrated. When she raises her tail she is spraying you leaving her scent. Of course she dosen’t like a male cat near her, it hurts the female when they mate. They are being made to do something she does not want to do. I do not believe in breeding for profit. Is this your only way to make a living. So many animals in shelters need a home. Breeding should be outlawed. I’m just giving my opinion. Get her spayed and she will be much happier.
i think this is great for all of us cat lovers. i wish to know as much i can for taking care of our furing friends.
We have our mom really well trained. When Emma shouts (that crazy lady is a Siamese)then mom goes running to see what she wants. Tansybelle gets to go out anytime she wants and mom lets her in when ever Tansy wants to come in. And Buddy who is Siamese/MaineCoon mix really thinks he is king of the hill. All he has to do is to get into mom’s face and she calls him “My big boy”.Humph!! I’m Niobe and I’m mom’s favorite (don’t tell the rest of the family). All I have to do is mew softly and Mom picks me right up and I get to slide beside her side at night to sleep. She never gets mad when I part the curtains and let the light in.
Reading: “5 Areas in Which You Can Be a Better Cat Owner” (at the @catster blog) ( http://tinyurl.com/dztldq )
Our meowmmy and pawpaw are really good to us. We have lots of our own furniture, plus a big bed to share with Meowm and Paw.
They take us to a vet at least once a year…and we eat prescription food cuz Moo gets something Meowm and the vet doctor call UTIs. They feed us a can of wet food every day..and they have figured out we are sick to death of those icky cat treats. Meowmmy bought us Fancy Feast dry food with no fish in it to give us as treats…she knows we like it because we come running for it.
We have so many toys we have our own toybox!! And we get a fountain to drink out of.
We live a pretty good life…
My Food Lady just adopted me this past December. It’s been an interesting adjustment, going from being an only cat to living with That Other Cat, Nina, but at least we both get plenty of exercise! You can read all about my adventures and opinions in my diary on my Catster page…
I miss my Mommy, but my Food Lady is okay. I like the Man and the Big Furry Guy. They’ve all pledged to be excellent cat parents, feeding us well, playing with us, and making sure we visit Dr Stuart annually and when ever else we need to see him. It’s a cat’s life, and I’m loving it!
hi i am a cat,i miss my mommy in Bacolod city philippines,well her greatest gift ever is when she had a vacation here in manila.
even though she is not with me,she still love me no matter i am dead or alive.
just believe even your loved ones are far away,they still love you.
“5 Areas in Which You Can Be a Better Cat Owner”
http://tinyurl.com/dztldq